The present invention pertains to a method and apparatus for driving elongated rods such as tent stakes into the ground in order to provide a secure anchor for a rope, cable, chain or other ground tying device.
During the erection of a tent a series of rods or stakes must be driven proximate the perimeter of the tent so that tent ropes can be fastened to a stationary device to support the tent roof or canopy by, in essence, stretching the tent roof or canopy across main tent stakes and side poles, the side poles positioned by tent ropes which in turn are fastened to the stakes or rods.
In erecting large tents for outdoor functions such as a wedding receptions, it is necessary to use stakes that are about three feet in length. One method of driving the stake into the ground is to use a sledge hammer with one person holding the stake while one or more helpers drive the stake into the ground. The persons driving the stake can use a hand sledge hammer or use a pneumatic hammer fitted with a stake driving is tool. The use of the pneumatic or xe2x80x9cjackxe2x80x9d hammer requires at least two persons and sometimes three people to drive the stakes. When using such a device, one person has to position and start the stake while, depending upon size of the pneumatic hammer, it can take up to two men to operate the pneumatic hammer to drive the stake into its final position.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,627,563 is illustrative of a jack hammer and accessory device for driving U-shaped anchors into the ground.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,557,409 illustrates a device for driving an electrical grounding rod into the earth using a slide hammer.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,676,424, 5,529,234, 5,605,271, 5,875,950 and 6,036,073 are illustrative of devices used to position nails for driving using a sliding hammer, which engages the nail and which is actuated by a hand held hammer or a pneumatic device.
The present invention pertains to a method and apparatus that would permit a single operator to drive an elongated rod or tent stake into the ground using a pneumatic hammer. The apparatus according to the invention is an adapter that is fitted to the pneumatic hammer, the adapter having an elongated slot into which the rod or stake is placed and positioned for being driven by the pneumatic hammer. A single operator can position the stake in the holder according to the invention, then raise the holder and jack hammer into position and finally actuate the hammer to drive the stake into the ground.
Thus, according to one aspect the present invention is a device for positioning an elongated rod to be driven into a surface, the rod used to secure an object in a desired location comprising; a first generally cylindrical portion extending from a first end of said device toward a transition portion having the shape of a truncated cone, a smaller end of the transition portion being a second end of the cylindrical portion and a larger end of the transition portion being a first end of a second generally cylindrical portion larger in diameter than the first generally cylindrical portion; a generally cylindrical bore extending from a second end of the second cylindrical portion toward and partially into the transition portion, a passage having a generally U-shaped cross-section extending from a first end of the first cylindrical portion into the transition portion, and a transverse aperture having a cross-sectional shape of a rectangle with rounded ends extending from an outer surface of the transition portion into the device to make a connecting passage between the cylindrical bore and the passage having the generally U-shaped cross-section.
In another aspect the present invention is a method for single handedly driving a tent stake into the ground using a pneumatic hammer by first fitting the pneumatic hammer with a device for driving an elongated rod into a surface, the rod used to secure an object in a desired location, comprising; a first generally cylindrical portion extending from a first end of the device toward a transition portion having the shape of a truncated cone, a smaller end of the transition portion being a second end of the first cylindrical portion and a larger end of the transition portion being a first end of a generally elongated second cylindrical portion larger in diameter than the first generally cylindrical portion, a generally cylindrical bore extending from a second end of the second cylindrical portion toward and partially into the transition portion; a passage having a generally U-shaped cross-section extending from a first end of the first cylindrical portion, with a transverse aperture having a cross-sectional shape of a rectangle with rounded ends extending from an outer surface of the transition portion into the device to make a connecting passage between the cylindrical bore and the passage having the generally U-shaped cross-section, and, thereafter positioning a tent stake inside the generally U-shaped passage, raising the stake and pneumatic hammer and actuating the pneumatic hammer to drive the stake.